Jaw-closer



.l. S. DONNELLAN.

JAW CLOSER.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 3 1919.

1 ,358, 625, Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Elwin n 6 oz Sum M4 3 JAMES S. DONNELLAN, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH."

JAW-CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Application filed May 31, 1919. Serial No. 300,876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, James SQDONNELLAN, acitizen of the United States, residin at Salt Lake City in the countyofSalt fiake and State of fltah, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Jaw- Glosers; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willon able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to mechanical dentistry, and especially toimproved maintaining attachments for the base mountings of artificialteeth, commonly known in the art as jaw closers.

In a former patent #1263313 of April 16, 1918, I have disclosed andclaimed certain peculiarly formed and novelly con nected springsfunctioning, in an automatically self-compensating manner and for thepurposes as therein fully set forth; and while the instant inventionalso has the same broad principles in view, it has been primarilydevised with reference to the manner of connecting the ends of thesprings to their supporting bases, to provide regulable means foradjustably controlling the disposition, lines of thrust, and tensionthereof.

Supplemental to this broad statement, the objects and advantages of thedetailed construction, assembly and functioning of the several elements,of the presentcombination, will otherwise be so clearly apparent, asincidental to the following description, that it would only beundesirable surplusage to further refer to them initially.

Reference will be had, therefore, to the accompanying drawings,illustrating a practical embodiment of the improvements, in whichdrawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view embodying the inventionasapplied to an arti ficial pair of upper and lower full dentures; Fig.2 is an analogous view, but showiiig the upper regulable keeper-diskadjusted to a different position to that shown I in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isadetail elevational view of one of the spring members in its unattacheddistended position; Fig. 4 is a local sectional view taken in the planeof, the line 4: of Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are detail front elevationaland top edge views of one of the keeper-disks; 7 is a cross-sectionalview thereof along the line 7 of Fig. 5; and Figs. 8 and 9 aresideelevational and top edge views, respectively, of one of the springmembers, but with its ends bent at sl ghtly different angles to theshowing in Fig. 3. For simplicity and brevity of disclosure, I shallonly illustrate and describe the invention as associated with completesets of artificial teeth,xas in full upper and lower dentures, but itshould be distinctly understood at the outset that the invention is alsosusceptible for ellicient use with blocks of teeth or partial dentures,and whether or not the artificially adjusted denture is associated withanalogous artificially mounted teeth, or with natural teeth in an upperor lower row in the mouth of the user, and do not, therefore, limitmyself in such re.- spects.

The numerals l and 2 respectively desighate the composite gumbases'mounting the upper and lower sets of teeth, formed and employed asis customary to snu lv seat over the natural gums, and 3 generallydesignates the improved connections therebetween, which are congruentlydisposed as a pair with one spring member located exteriorly at thesides of each gum base.

These connecting spring elements, for best resultsboth as to functioningand comfort, should be constructed and attached substantially as shown,in order to avoid anybulkiness and sharp edges, while at the same timeproviding for the proper flexible motion laterally as well asvertically, thus permitting of coordinate action with the normalmovements of the lower jaw, and

' hence a more natural articulation of the teeth.

Each spring element preferably comprises aproper length of wire,suitable as to re: siliency and tensile strength, which is sue cessivelycoiled upon itself to provide a body portion, intermediate of elongatedex tending ends, embodying a continuous series of springy rings orintegral link'eyes 8, lying flatwise in substantially the samelongitudinal plane analogously to my former patent. As at presentdevised, however, these linlceyes 8, instead of being disposedpractically edgewise, are now more compactly arranged to just slightlyoverlap each other, while still leaving the coils freely open orunobstructed laterally. The elongated ends, which also extend inthe'plane of the series, provide the idle-eyes 6 and 10, substantiallyseparated from .the link-eyes 8 by the spacing segments '7 and 9 respectively, and likewise the spacin arms 5 and 11, respectively, furnishoffsetting means for one terminal attaching eye 4 and for a springyfulcruming eye 12, from which latter coiled eye 12 the wire is projectedinwardly, at a substantial angle to the periphery thereof, to functionas a short lever arm 13 terminating in the pivotal attaching eye 14: atthe other-end of the spring element, shown'detached F s. 3, 8 and 3).

15' designates pivot pins, headed as at 16 at one end and screwthreadedat the other end, of which pins one is embedded and anchored inthe gumbases 1and2, at each side, with the threaded end projecting exteriorlythereof. 18 designates the hollow shank of a securing button, in thenature of a. finishing cap, which shank is internally threaded tocooperate with the threaded end of the pivot pins, the convex head 19 ofthe button being slotted as at 20, for applying a spanner device forloosening and tightening purposes, all of which features are substantially thesame as in my formerpatent and as shown in detail hereinat Fig. 4:; but the manner of adj ustably regulating the mounting of theattaching terminal. eyes at and 1 1 on their respective pivot pins '15is distinctively different.

As to this latter feature I now addition- Y are provided with asegmental keeper 23 not actually engage the pivot pins 15,.but

offset from its disk, by the spacing stud continuations 24, to providefor acontaining andconfining space 25 for the spring ends, pivotallyassociated with the gum bases as seen in detail atFig. 1. 1 a p Theterminal attaching eyes sand 14% do freely encircle the hollow shank 18of a complementally associated securing button, the inner ends of whichshanks also serve-as set screw elements, operatively engaging the iopposed outer faces of the adjustable regulating keeper disks 21 tosecurely bind the latter as 'seatedup against their respective gumbases.

it is to be noted that the attaching eyes a and 14, and hence thespringmembers asa whole. are held spaced from the gum bases by beinginterposed between the regulating disks 21 and the heads of the securingbuttons, with the terminal ends of the spring elements confined withinthe spaces 25 formed with thedisks by their keeper member 23; also thatthe lever arm 13 and all of the coils of the spring members (exceptingin Figs. '8 and 9 where a slight bending of the ends is provided for)lie in the same long1tudinal plane, or 111 planes so closely contiguousas to be substantially the same plane, whereby the structural formationis in the nature-0f an elongated flat spring, tensioned to springedgewise along its whole length, with the freely open convolutions 8serving as intermediately overlapped and integrally joined fleXilelinkey es, as contradistinguished from a helicoidal spring flexed alongthe axis of its spirals.

Of course, where one of the setsof teeth is natural, the manner ofanchoring the pivot pins 15 would manifestly have to be altered, butwithout encumbering the drawings with unnecessary illustrations,the sameprinciple exactly would be involved by simply projecting short threadedpivot pins -.from any suitablemetallic base supported the levers 13.would naturally be associated with the. artificial set, whether upper orlower as occasion might require, which would prevent the levers 13, intheir oscillating movements, from engaging and irritating'the naturalgums by rubbing thereon, although this would be substantially avoid- .danyhow by the clearance provided for by the interposed keeper disks.However, where both sets are artificial, it may be preferable to locatethe levers 13 on the upper set, where food is less liable to lodge andobstruct their freedom of movement.

At any event, as in my former patent, the lever elements 13, each havingthe shiftable springy fulcruming eye 12 offset .or distant fromitspivotal pin 15, provide for full clearance spaces, at all times, betweenthe pair of chain springs and all of the teeth; but in the present casethe supplemental feature ofthe regulatingl'reeper disks serves a furtherimportant advantage, in' their varying adjusted positions, of positively'-illustrating' a varied adjustment of the bowed springs. Likewise, thelower disks mav also be set at any desired positions, and the pressureof the springs thus regulated to an extreme nicety, not heretoforeaccomplished, Gbviously, this is accomplished by simply loosening oreasing up on the securing buttons and then, after turning the disks asdesired, tightening up these binding members again. a a

T he offsetting stud arms 24 of the keeper elements also serve as thrustbearings for the lower ends of the springs, and partly so I for theupper ends thereof,.whi1e at the same "such cases as 'ust stated themountin of c 7 ca ill) time functioning as limiting stops to the swingof the short lever arms 13; and the segmental arms 23 of the upper andlower disks cooperate in pairs as lateral guides or guards formaintaining the bowed springs properly disposed during the grindingmotions of the lower jaw.

It will be observed that, whether the spacing section 5, of the lowerends of the springs, is continued straight out from the section 7, asindicated in Figs. 1 to 3, or is bent as in Figs. 8 and 9, it alwaysseats firmly down on the lower stud arm 24: of the keeper part, of itsregulator disk, conjointly functioning therewith as a throw or thrustbearing for the spring body, thus avoiding the rigid fastening of thelower ends of the spring: as heretofore; and another purpose of thisbottom and arrangement is that, should the top set of teeth have anarrow strip of rubber, as sometimes employed, so that the spring wouldtend to protrude vertically beyond the gum bases, this may be overcomeby bending the part 5 down, say at an angle of about forty-five degrees,and likewise altering the angle of the lever arm 13 if found desirable,and this whether or not slight lateral bends are made also, as indicatedin Fig. 9, all of which bendings will be fairly apparent as obviousmanipulations of proper attachment, provided for, however, by theparticular formation of the spring ends.

When the jaws are fully closed, as indicated at Figs. 1 and 2, thelevers l8 lie in their forward positions as far as permitted by theirregulating disks, the thrust on the upper denture being in an upward andslightly forward direction, while that on the lower one is almostdirectly downward. During the opening and closing motions of the lowerjaw, the spacing arms 5 necessarily still remain seated firmly in theirkeeper elements as the levers 13 ride rearwardly and forwardly in theirkeeper guides, the thrust on the upper denture being then approximatelyin an upwardly direct vertical manner, provided for by the shiftingfulcruming eyes 12, while that of the lower denture is in a downward-andslightly rearward direction, the hinging movements of the lower jawbeing fully compensated for by the pair of sprir and tensioning of thesprings being also regulable, to the minutest degree or nicety ofadustment, by varying slightly the positions of the keeper-disks 21, itbeing obvi ous that the compression of the springs as in Fig. 2proportionately increases their tension over the position shown in Fig.1.

There is therefore assured an evenness or uniformity of regulablepressure, even during the movement of the lower jaw from the closed tothe open position and vice versa, which desired pressure is equaland thelines of thrust 1 ized and maintained by reason of theparticularconstruction and mounting of the resilient elements 3, as hereinbeforeemphasized, and these novel details are of no mean importance, whereefficiency of action, oomfort and cleanliness are so greatly concerned.

IVhile I have thus made a full and com plete disclosure. of myimprovements as now practised, obviously minor modifications might bemade without departing from the underlying principles of the invention,and it will be understood, therefore, that I do not limit myselfnecessarily to the exact details as illustrated and described, exceptingas they may come within the purview of the ensuing claims, when fairlyinterpreted in the light of the specification and understoodequivalents.

I claim- 1. In applied mechanical dentistry, providing jaw closerattachments embodying a pair of elongated springs suitably formed anddisposed to function in the mouth of the user substantially as setforth, with one end of each spring pivotallysupported and their otherends suitably mounted in respective complemental association withopposed gum bases; the employment of a rotatably mounted and adjustabletension regulatin member 006 aerativel en a in Z t) b 0 each of saidpivotally supported spring ends, for controlling the bowed compressionof said springs, substantially as described.

2. In applied mechanical dentistry, providing jaw closer attachmentsembodying a pair of elongated springs suitably formed and disposed tofunction in the mouth of a user substantially as set forth, with meansfor suitably mounting one end of each spring in association with one gumbase and a pair of pivot pins projecting outwardly from opposite sidesof the other gum base, for pivotally mounting the other ends of saidsprings; the combination of a pair of rotatably adjustable tensionregulating members, one of which is mounted on each of said pivot pinsand carries a keeper element encompassing and engaging its adjacentpivotally supported spring end; and a capping head for each of saidpivot pins, having a shank functioning both as a bearing sleeve for itsadjacent spring end and as a binding element for the complementarytension regulating member, substantially as described.

3. In applied mechanical dentistry, pro viding jaw closer attachmentsembodying a pair of elongated springs suitably formed and disposed tofunction in the mouth of a user substantially as set forth, with pivotpins mounted in pairs at opposite sides of and having threaded endsprojecting ou wardly from the upper and lower gum bases, being adaptedto pivotally mount the ends of the said springs; the combination of arotatably admstable tension regulating disk mounted on each of saidpivot pins and each each of said pivot pins and each having a 10 shankfunctionlngboth as a bearing sleeve v for its adjacent spring end and asa binding 7 element for engaging its complementary tension regulatingdisk, substantially as described. i V

In testimony whereof, I affix my signatnre.

' JAMES S. DONNELLAN.

